VC receives award from Texas Workforce Commission

Dec. 10, 2011 at 6:10 a.m.

Victoria College was recently honored by the Texas Workforce Commission with a 2011 Partnership Award in recognition of its ongoing stewardship of Skills Development Fund grants awarded by the Commission.

VC has been the recipient of numerous Skills Development Fund grants over the past decade. Working closely with local industry, VC helped identify skills gaps and tailored programs designed to increase or expand the skills of workers in the Golden Crescent Workforce Development Area.

Included among the industries VC has partnered with on SDF projects are: the petro- and industrial chemical industries, plastics and other advanced manufacturing businesses, and oil and gas exploration.

"The continued prosperity of our local businesses benefits the entire community and has far-reaching effects on the overall regional economy," said VC President Tom Butler. "As part of our mission, it is our responsibility to develop and implement education and training programs that provide the support needed to keep our local industries and their employees competitive."

TWC's 2011 Partnership Award highlights the important role community colleges play in providing a skilled workforce. In serving the needs of employers, Victoria College has been instrumental in assisting workers to obtain the specific skills they need to meet the demands of the regional economy. Customized training also ensures that workers whose skills no longer align with those needed for today's jobs are updated and improved.

SDF projects have provided the resources for VC to expand its capacity to serve area industry through the development of curriculum and purchase of state-of-the-art training equipment in areas like pump fundamentals, emergency medical care, fire safety, and lean manufacturing, to name a few.

Further, this award recognizes institutions that have performed well under the contract provisions for implementation of SDF projects. In addition to providing innovative training solutions, VC has consistently met the performance requirements and served as an example for success in the management of SDF grant projects.

"Victoria College has partnered three times on Skills Development Fund projects with regional petrochemical partners," said Jennifer Yancey, vice president of college advancement and external affairs at VC. "Combined, these projects have provided close to $6 million in technical and other skills development training for thousands of local workers."

"Currently, VC is finishing up a Skills Development Fund project in partnership with Berry Plastics, and we are collaborating with local Caterpillar, Inc. representatives to apply for an SDF grant award to train some of their anticipated new hires over the next few years," added Yancey.